 | Satires and miscellaneous poetry and prose |  |
163
ARTS AND SCIENCES
RulesWere made for Novices, and Fooles.
The old Ægyptians stered their Boats
And Sayld down Cataracts of Spoats,
Made Spectacles t' Improve the Sight
And see i' th' Dark as wel as light.
And Sayld down Cataracts of Spoats,
Made Spectacles t' Improve the Sight
And see i' th' Dark as wel as light.
'Tis strange how stubbornly industrious
Some men are found t' appeare Preposterous,
That spare no Drudgery, and Paines
To wast their little stock of Braines,
All Arts and Sciences perplex,
And, with a thousand idle Freakes,
The Government of Nature vex,
And like Fanatiques in their Hearts
Have visions, and New lights in Arts;
From old Designes of water-engines
Steal Gifts, and Lights of New Inventions,
Make Pumps for water, and their wit,
To Rayse 'em both so many feet,
And forge their Gimcracks at the Rate
Fanatiques use in Church, and State,
And out of Antique Theorems
New Jiggambobs of Light and Dreames.
Some men are found t' appeare Preposterous,
That spare no Drudgery, and Paines
To wast their little stock of Braines,
All Arts and Sciences perplex,
And, with a thousand idle Freakes,
The Government of Nature vex,
And like Fanatiques in their Hearts
Have visions, and New lights in Arts;
From old Designes of water-engines
Steal Gifts, and Lights of New Inventions,
Make Pumps for water, and their wit,
To Rayse 'em both so many feet,
And forge their Gimcracks at the Rate
Fanatiques use in Church, and State,
And out of Antique Theorems
New Jiggambobs of Light and Dreames.
Smattrers are more Brisk and Peart
Then those who understand an Art,
As little spa[r]kles shine more bright
Then Glowing Coales, that give 'em light,
Whose sudden Vanitys and Flashes
Are clouded by themselves with Ashes.
Then those who understand an Art,
As little spa[r]kles shine more bright
Then Glowing Coales, that give 'em light,
Whose sudden Vanitys and Flashes
Are clouded by themselves with Ashes.
'Tis not the Art of Schools to understand,
But make things Hard, in stead of b'ing explaind;
And therefore Those are comonly, the Learnedst,
That only study between Jest, and Earnest:
For when the End of Learning's to Pursue,
And trace, the Subtle steps, of false and true,
They ne're consider how they are t' Apply,
But only listen, to the Noyse and Cry,
And are so much Delighted with the Chace,
They never mind the Taking of their Preys.
But make things Hard, in stead of b'ing explaind;
And therefore Those are comonly, the Learnedst,
That only study between Jest, and Earnest:
164
And trace, the Subtle steps, of false and true,
They ne're consider how they are t' Apply,
But only listen, to the Noyse and Cry,
And are so much Delighted with the Chace,
They never mind the Taking of their Preys.
For Books are but a Kinde of Utensils
Of Turning Children upon Potters wheels,
That, when th' are ore'clogd with heavy men,
Reduce 'em natrally to Boys agen.
Of Turning Children upon Potters wheels,
That, when th' are ore'clogd with heavy men,
Reduce 'em natrally to Boys agen.
For Bookes were made for Men, not Men for Bookes,
No more then Meat was made for dressing Cookes;
Are Commonly the By-blows of an Author:
Not one in Forty has an Honest Mother.
No more then Meat was made for dressing Cookes;
Are Commonly the By-blows of an Author:
Not one in Forty has an Honest Mother.
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